New Moon
by Jessica R Vance
Summary: Macavity is planning a full-scale attack on the Jellicles! It's up to Rastus (remember him?) and Amasrei to warn them! (Prerequisites: "Magenta," "Magic, Mischief, & Melacholy")


New Moon  
  
By: Jessica R Vance  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Summary: Macavity is about to launch a full-scale attack on the Jellicles! It's up to a RPIC (Random, Previously Introduced Character) to warn them!  
  
Disclaimer: Vindaloo! Vindaloo! And we all like vindaloo!  
  
Author's Note: Yeah... you should probably read "Magic, Mischeive, and Melancholy" before you read this. It'll clear a lot of things up. This fic takes place about 5 months after that fic happens. Oh, and you need to read "Magenta" too. They're all kinda tied together. ... Yeah.  
  
~*~Chapter One~*~  
  
"So you're telling me... that you actually *helped* four Jellicles find their *friend*?" a fiery, ginger red tom growled at his henchcat. "You weren't even planning on telling me! Grynen is much more loyal than you are, I see... His report is true, then?" The splotched cat gulped.  
  
"Yessir."  
  
"Why did you help them?"  
  
"Well sir... Oi... Oi didn't know they was Jellicles." This was a bold-faced lie; Rastus had known full well that the group he had helped to find Etcetera were Jellicles.  
  
"Don't give me that," Macavity spat. Being the master of lies, he could recognize one quickly, "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you may have a streak of mutiny in you," he growled. He came nose to nose with Rastus. "But I know you're not *that* foolish, are you?" Rastus shook his head, almost defiantly. "Good man," Macavity said, a glinting smile crossing his handsome, cruel face.  
  
~*~  
  
"Oy... Oi *am* a stupid git," I muttered to myself as I left Macavity's lair, "What'd Oi 'afta go an' 'elp Jellicles fo'? Wot was Oi thinkin'?"  
  
"Rastus? Talking to yourself again?" I spun around and saw Amasrei, another of Macavity's cronies. I felt my knees get weak.  
  
"H-Hallo Amasrei. Oi... Oi was jus'... uh..." Damn!  
  
"Do you studder when you talk to yourself, too?" she asked lightly, her tail whipping neatly around her haunches. I almost fainted.  
  
"Yeh." I could have killed myself. Why yes, Amasrei, I *am* a freakishly insane tom who not only talks to himself, but studders while doing so! "Uh... wot ah ya doin' 'ere?"  
  
"Macavity summoned me," she answered, as though it was no big deal. "Said he has some important news for me."   
  
Yeah right, I thought, More likely he called you to his lair for the same reason he used to call that Demeter queen in there. I wanted to warn her, to yell at her to go, to save her. But all I said was, "Oh. Well... Oi'll catch ya lata."  
  
~*~  
  
"You summoned me, sir?" Amasrei asked mechanically, saluting. Macavity turned to face her.  
  
"Ah... Amasrei. You look lovely today." Macavity wanted to soften her to the news that he was about to give her. Flattery seemed to work on many queens. Especially those under his command.  
  
Amasrei didn't blush as he had expected her to. "Thank you, sir. You said you had important news for me?" Macavity's eyes narrowed.  
  
"Don't get too flippant with me, girl," he warned her. He contracted and retracted his claws in and out to demonstrate what might happen to her if she did. Then he continued to business. "Yes, I have news for you. And yes, it's important. I'm telling you - and ONLY you, I might add - because you're one of my top officers... despite being a queen." He chuckled as he saw her bristle slightly at this comment.  
  
"Yes sir?"  
  
"I'm planning an invasion. An attack, if you will." Amasrei raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"You know of the Jellicles, I assume?" Amasrei nodded. "I am planning to take them all down, once and for all. I'm going to invade their little junk heap, with maximum force. Those idiots have humiliated me for the very last time. And they're going to pay for it."  
  
Before she could stop herself, Amasrei said, "Innocent queens and kittens will die!" For this, she received a sharp slap.  
  
"I'm aware of that!" Macavity hissed, "That's kind of the *point.*" He frowned. "Now, unless you have a *problem* with this," he said, in a voice that suggested that it didn't matter if she did, "I want you to assemble an army of my best cats. Don't let them ask questions. If they have a problem, they can come to me. Don't let them know what's going to happen. They may not cooperate if they get too... opinionated." He stressed the last word, glaring pointedly at her.  
  
Amasrei bowed her head. "Yes sir." He waved a paw, dismissing her. She left gladly.  
  
~*~  
  
Amasrei walked slowly down the alley, mulling over what Macavity had told her. She never heard Rastus coming.  
  
"So wot'd Macavity tell you?"  
  
"AGH!" She nearly fell over. Fuming, she faced the Cockney tom. "What in the name of Bast are you trying to do!? Give me a heart attack!?" Rastus' ears drooped slightly.  
  
"Sorry." They stood there for a moment. Then Amasrei sighed.  
  
"I'm sorry, Rastus. I'm just a little nervous, that's all. You frightened me." Then her curiousity rose. "What are you doing here? Were you following me?" He looked aghast at her suggestion.  
  
"No! Oi was jus' wawlkin' in tha alley!" He stared at her, wide eyed, and then his tail drooped. "Well, yeh, Oi was koinda followin' ya. Oi was worried."  
  
"Worried? About me?" Amasrei laughed. "Sorry to burst your bubble, Super Cat, but I can take care of myself." She immediately regretted her words. The sparkle had gone out of Rastus' eyes and his tail was tucked between his legs. Like a bloody Pollicle. She sighed again. "I'm sorry. I'm really flattered that you're worried, but... I *can* take care of myself." Silence. "Why were you worried, anyway?"  
  
More silence. "Ahm... well... you know... Mac an' awl. Oi didna know wot 'e'd do t' ya. O' with ya... o'... oooooh!" Rastus groaned and turned away. What a fool he was making of himself!  
  
Amasrei surpressed a giggle. The Cockney tom could be quite adorable when he didn't try. "Well, all he did was tell me some important news. Just like he said. Even the..." she chuckled, "Napoleon of Crime keeps his word sometimes." Rastus smiled weakly. Then Amasrei turned away.  
  
"Somfin wrong?" Rastus asked worriedly.  
  
Amasrei shook her head. "It's just... oh, I can't tell you." Frowning, Rastus searched her face.  
  
"Is it about wot Mac tol' you? Did somfin awful 'appen?" Amasrei shook her head. "You can tell me," Rastus coaxed gently, "Oi won't tell nobody. You know 'at."  
  
"I know," Amasrei agreed, "But... he told me not to tell anyone." She paused. "Rastus... what does Macavity have against the Jellicles, exactly? I've never understood it."  
  
"Well, they've outsmahted 'im a few toimes, Oi know. An' you know 'ow 'at steams 'im. Whoy d'ya ask? Does wot 'e tol' ya 'ave t' do 'with them?" Amasrei hesitated, then nodded. "Oh, Bast... 'e's gonna do somfin to 'em, inn'e?"  
  
Amasrei stared at the ground, not moving, not answering.  
  
~*~Meanwhile, at the Junkyard~*~  
  
"Mum! Mum! Rastus took my mouse!" Talitha whined, tugging on her mother's ear. Jemima raised her head sleepily.  
  
"Oh Rastus, don't be a cheek," she muttered, not quite awake, "Give Litha her mouse."  
  
"Aw, Mum, you're no fun!" the little tuxedo kitten complained, tossing the catnip mouse back to his sister. He then pounced on his father. "Wake up, Dad! It's time to get up!" Mistoffelees didn't respond. "Dad! Dad!" Rastus growled.  
  
"Rastus..." Mistoffelees moaned, rolling over, "It's so early..."  
  
"It's almost 10 in the morning! You guys gotta wake up!" Rastus frowned and stalked off, muttering, "Honestly, *old* cats..."  
  
Jemima raised her head again. "Old cats?" She nudged her mate. "We're old cats already!"  
  
Mistoffelees chuckled. "I'd hate to hear what he thinks of Gus!"  
  
~*~  
  
Amasrei frowned. She had to decide who to recruit for Macavity's attack, and she wasn't quite sure if she could do it. She wanted no part in this, honestly. She knew that Macavity hated the Jellicles, but she had nothing against them personally.  
  
Against them...  
  
Thinking of grudges revealed her first recruit.  
  
~*~  
  
Worry, worry.  
  
"Wot coulda been wrong with 'er?" I mumbled, pacing.  
  
"Rastus?"  
  
"Amasrei! Wheh've you been? Oi was lookin' fo' you!" She still wore the same forlorn expression I had noticed earlier. "Wot's wrong? Please tell me!"  
  
"I can't, OK? I told Macavity-"  
  
"So wot? Oi won' tell 'im you told! C'mon, luv." I cautiously approached her, studying her. "Luv?"  
  
Amasrei sighed. She glanced over both shoulders to make sure no one was listening, then whispered, "You know that Macavity has a grudge against the Jellicles, right?" I nodded. "Well, he's planning on launching a full attack on them! He's going to kill all of them!"  
  
I gasped. "'E can't do 'at! Theh's too many inn'cent cats theh!"  
  
"That's what I told him."  
  
"An'?" Amasrei gestured to the slight mark on her cheek. He had hit her! How *dare* he?! "'At monsta," I growled, "We've gotta stop 'im!"  
  
"We can't stop him, Ras... he's too powerful."  
  
I began to pace again, thinking. "Well... if we can't stop 'im... maybe we could 'elp tha Jellicles instead!" She looked at me, puzzled. "'Ere's wot Oi'm thinkin'," I explained, "We could warn tha Jellicles 'at Macavity's comin', an' that way they could get ready fo' 'im t' show up! So they'd 'ave a chance!"  
  
She stared at me, unsure. "Do you really think that will work?"  
  
"Whoy shouldn' it? C'mon, luv, ya know we can pull it off!" I grinned at her, trying to be convincing. I had never felt this confident. Slowly, she smiled back.  
  
"All right."  
  
~*~  
  
"Grynen?" Amasrei whispered. The chocolate tom saluted her.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"You know of the Jellicles?" Grynen's fur raised and he growled, low and threatening.  
  
"I sure do. One in particular."  
  
"I'm not supposed to tell you this, but Macavity's launching an attack on them. I'm recruiting. And-"  
  
"No need to say anymore," Grynen cut her off. He raked his claws along the ground. "I've got a score to settle with one of them Jellicles..." He spat and muttered the name of his prey.  
  
"Rivenklaw."  
  
~*~  
  
Amasrei was torn. She couldn't keep on recruiting soldier's for Macavity's attack if she was going to help Rastus warn the Jellicles. She wanted to do what was right.  
  
She also wanted to do what would save her own neck.  
  
"Ah, what do I care about the Jellicles?" she asked herself, "They've never done anything for me!" She began to pace, "For that matter, what does *Rastus* care about them? Why did he help them in the first place?" She sighed and stared up at the night sky. "That idiot. Why does he..." she growled, "Why does he have to be so damn sweet?" She flopped down on the ground.  
  
"If he had never helped them, I wouldn't be in this mess. He's always messing things up for me! I should have said no. I should have told him that he could go warn those stupid Jellicles by himself! Why did I say yes? Why do I even care? They're just cats!" She paused. "Then again, so is Rastus. What made me say yes? WHAT!?"  
  
She sighed again. She knew very well what had made her say yes.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Uh... part two will be up... soon? ::flashes a convincing smile:: Yeah right. Don't get too mad at me if it's not up soon, pwease? Constructive comments only, pwease, I don't want pointless flames.  
  
~JRV 


End file.
